:: Ekotren - Light The Fire

Ekotren

Having already earned some attention on the scene with two previous independent EP releases and a long list of high profile tours under their belts, Florida based outfit Ekotren was soon getting plenty of attention from prospective labels, with Blind Prophecy Records signing up the band for their debut full-length effort ‘Light The Fire’. But while there’s no doubt that Ekotren are excited by the prospects of reaching a wider audience with ‘Light The Fire’, I personally am not that overwhelmed by the band’s debut offering. For the most part, ‘Light The Fire’ is a solid release. On the eleven tracks offered, it’s evident that the five-piece act know their way around a memorable tune, and what an audience will easily digest. The biggest problem I have is that the songs are a little too formulated and predictable, and the band’s sound is pretty much a palatable mix of nu-metal and modern day metalcore. What that means is that while the band have their heavier moments, it’s not enough to disguise the fact that the musicianship is quite simplistic. Some songs do manage to outshine others, such as the opening title track ‘Light The Fire’, the catchy ‘Paper Thin’, ‘Tables Have Turned’ and the hard hitting ‘Point Of View’. Unfortunately, the remainder simply sounds like they’re written primarily for radio play, and tend to get fairly tiresome after the third spin. Ekotren’s debut ‘Light The Fire’ is a good effort, but one that holds few surprises in the long run. Had they released this around seven or eight years ago, it would have been hailed as innovative and unique. But in 2008, it sounds a little too safe and well and truly out of date compared to what is currently considered fresh and uncharted in the metal scene.